EFFECT OF GAMMA IRRADIATION AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL TREATMENTS OF OLIVE FRUIT ON ITS OIL QUALITY

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Radiobiology Department, Nuclear Research Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt

2 Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Picual olive fruits were soaked in hot water, sun-dried irradiated at 1.5KGy and the olive oil was obtained by pressing . Physical and chemical properties , stability, fatty acids compostion and unsaponifiable mater (USM) constituents were determined in all samples undertaken. The results indicated that, sun - drying treatment nriarkdiy increased the peroxide value of olive oil, while all treatments under investigation had no real effects on other oil properties and fattry acid composition. Soak­ing tratment caused no changes, while sun - drying and irradiation in­duced a remarkable changes in the USM components olive oil.. Squalene increased and B-sitosterol decreased by irradiation, while the reverse trend occurred by sun- drying treatment . In addition, olive oil stability increased by irradition and decreased by sun - drying